Mechanism for supplying lengths of wire



Feb. 2, 1932. A. E. BLAsHlLL MECHANISM FOR SUPPLYING LENGTHS OF WIRE Original Filed Nov.4,k 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet l Feb. 2, 1932. A E BLASHILL 1,843,104

MECHANISM FOR SUPPLYING LENGTHS 0F WIRE Original lFiled Nov.4. 1926 2 Sheet's-Sheet 2 Fig: 4.

4E. M a 56 3B 4! 35 37 34Fig; 5. BAY 3i x///// AWG/wax N Patented Feb. 2, 1932 ARTHUR E. BLASHILL, OFy MONTREAL, QUEBEC, CANADA IlVIECIEIANISJVIV EUR SUPPLYN'G LENGTHS OF WIRE v AApplication sied' November 4, 1926, serial My invention relates broadly to supplying definitek lengths of wire-'for any purpose and,

although it is particularly adapted for use in conjunction with machines for manufac- '5 turing wire fabric, especially machines of the high speed type fory manufacturing wire fence and the" like, it is to bekdistinctly understood that it isnot confined thereto but may be utilized to advantage with any machine requiring wire to be supplied to itin successive definitev lengths The primary object of the; invention is to provide a combined means for continuously feeding a length of wire longitud'inally and for cutting the wire into uniform lengths without stoppin-g or varying the speed' of the feeding, movement off the wire'.

A further object is to provide feeding means which is synchronized with the mecha nism of another machine and adapted to successively deliver the cut lengths thereto in such manner as t'o-v provide brief intervals between said deliveries.

A further object is to-provide means which will function in the above manner ata high speed with greatprecision and which ma-y be easily and C uicllyadjusted' for the purpose of varying thevlongitudinal` measurement of 30 the cut lengths of wire. y

Y To thiszendf the invention consists of the combination, construction and particular ar rangement of the parts hereinafter described and illustratedl in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is aside elevation of a high speed precision wire feeding. and@ cutting machine constructed according to my invention;

Figure@4 is aplan view thereof;

Figure 3.' is any endv elevation off the. main feeding and cutting apparatus;

. Figures is a vertical sectional view taken on line-4 4 Figure l',

Figure 5 is a Vdetail view of the flying cutter and'y means for actuating the same.:

Figure 6 is a detail fragmentary sectional view of the chain loops showing the flying cutters in cuttingr position Figure 7 is a plan view of one of the chain loops illustrated in Figureti;` and No. 146,215. Renewed September 13, 1929.

Figure 8 is a detail sectional view taken on line 8 8 Figure 4.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the preferred embodiment of my invention for successively delivering uniform lengths of 5.5 vstay wire to the fabric forming mechanism proper of a high speed machine for manufacturing wire fence. Such fabricating mechanism locks the stay wires upon the strand wires at their ypoints of intersection co and as its specific construction has no bearing upon the present invention it is shown in outline only.

Referring to Figure l the fabric forming mechanism is indicated at A, the main stay wire feeding and cutting means at B, and the auxiliary means for feeding the cut lengths to the fabric. forming mechanism, at C.

In high speed fence machines to which the present embodiment is particularly adapted, the strand wires are fed intermittently in an upward direction andthe staywires are fed to positions extending at right anglesv to the strand` wires, and a stay wire is locked Aupon the strand wires during each interval of rest of the latter. It is necessary, therefore, that' the means for feeding the stay wires be synchronized with the means for feeding the strandy wires and the lock forming means. To accomplish this, a very rapid feeding and cutting of the stay wires is necessary owing to the fac-t that they must travel a distance substantially equal to their own length for each intermittent movement of the strand wires. It is obvious, therefore, that loss of time due to the cutting of the stay wires to the required length, must be avoided. At the same time, it is essential that the stayl wires be precisely measured before they .are cut to ensure that the exact amount of wire be provided' for vwrapliing or twisting around the marginal wires of the fence. This desideratum is obtained by the embodiment of my invention which I will now describe in detail. l

The-main feeding mechanism is' supported in a frame 2 which is adjustable upon a base 3 in the direction of the feedv ofthe stay wire to yand from the auxiliary feeding means for a purpose which willbe presently described.

,This main feeding mechanism consists of stay wire. f

two 'endless sprocket chains 4 and 5, arranged one above the other with the bottom side 6 of the top chain extending in close proximity to the top side 7 of the bottom chain, two sides coacting to frictionally grip and feed the The top chain passes around a; pair of sprocket wheels 18, 9, andthe bottom cha-in around a pair of corresponding sprocket wheels 10 and 11,'-the wheels l8 and 10 being keyed upon shafts 12fand 13, respectively located in lixed positions at one end of the frame 2, andthe wheels 9 and, 11 rotating vrfreely upon shafts 14 and 15, located at the opposite end of the `frame and adjustably Ymounted inslots 16 and'17, the last mentioned shafts being secured in their adjusted positions bya nut 18 screwed onto the reduced threadedendy 19 of each shaft. `The chains may, be ,driven in unison lfrom any .convenient sourceof power. "In the illustrated embodiment they are driven from the auxiliary feeding means, to be presently described, through sprocket chain 20, sprocket Vwheel 21 keyed onshaft 12 and intermeshing gears 22-and23 keyed onshafts 12 and 13 respectively.

Y 1 The chains consist of a series of links flexibly connected together with their ends overlappingand each link has a longitudinally grooved Vperiphery 24l to Vaccommodate the wireto be fed. Y v Each link lis susbtantially elevation, and comprises vertical sides 25 and 26 united by a transverse back portion 27 .formed integrally therewith, the back portion having a -iiat peripheral surface 28 with through theactive feeding zone, to pressv tightly against and frictionally Vgrip the wire. This means consists of two presser plates, indicated at 32 and33 respectively, one being lixed and theiother being movable relatively: thereto; The fixed plate V32 is mounted upon the mainframe 2 in position beneath the top-side or wire engaging portion of the bottom chain and in bearing relation withV the rollers thereof, as indicated in Figurel. A f y The movable plate 33 is mountedupon the v Leccentric ends, 34 and 35, of a pair of shafts, Y 36 and '37,k rotatable 1n the" frame, and is thatA it receives the end of each stay wire A *n j U-shape 1n end Aarrangement ofpart's imparts to the eccentric portions y34 and 35 a tendency to move 1n a downward direction and consequently to exert a downward pressure, though the plate 33, on thev bottom side of the top chain.l

The downward pressure ofthe toplplajte may bel-varied by adjustment of the nut42. lFrom the foregoing yit will bessen that, when the chains are driven by their Vsprocket wheels, the stay wire will be continuouslyffed horizontally from left to right towards the auxiliaryjfeedingineens ata speed equal to the peripheral speed of the chains I Y As lhereinbefore pointed out,one ofv the principal objects of the present invention is to cut the stayA wire while itis inimotion.. This is accomplished by aiiying cutter carried byl each chain and movable therewith, the cutters lbeing indicated at 60 and`61, respectively, and 'coacting with eachother to cut the wire. j i Y The shank of each cutter is constructed in the form of a block 61';L vertically slidable in an opening 62 in the back of'o'ne of the links of each chain, and having its outer end terminating in a l cutting blade' 63,movement o f the block both inwardly and outwardlyrbeing limited by a Cotter pin 64,1 extending transversely through the link andv entering a notch 65V inthe adj acontv side of the block. The cutters, which are located directly opposite each other, are automatically propelled outwardly lto a positionvto sever the stay wire, when theyreach thelendof their travel through the actual wire feeding zone. This isy effected by .thev teeth ofA` sprocket wheels 8 and 10-which meshwiththe cutter links at this point, the dimensions of .the teeth andV cutters being such thatrthejouter ends of the former engage the innerrends of the `latter and push the cuttersoutwardly7 as indicated in Figure 6. c

It will be noted that the. wheels 9 and V11 are set far enough vapart to'permit the paster to act onthe wire. p

Thisl construction and arrangement of parts measures the length of the stay wire with great accuracy and makes it possible to continuously feed the wire at a very rapid speed withoutaffecting the cutting operatio'n.r

The auxiliary feeding means is so located, relatively to the chain feeding'mechanism,

sage of thecutters without causing the lat- CII length just before the latter is cut, so that, when the cut is effected, the feed will be continued by the auxiliary means. This auX- iliary means consists of a pair of feed rolls 50 and 51, which in the present embodiment have a fifty per cent (50%) greater' circumferential speed than the speed of the sprocket wheels 8 and l0 and than the linear speed of the chains antl which are driven synchronously with the fabricating mechanism proper, so that the delivery of the stay'wire lengths to the latter will be correctly timed with the intermittent feed of the strand wires and the operation of the mechanism for locking the stay wire upon the strand wires. 'Ihe feed rolls 50 and 5l are keyed upon the ends of shafts 52 and 53 which, in turn, are supported in the frame 2 and carry intenv meshing' gears 54 and 55 at their opposite ends. The shafts 52 also carry a sprocket wheel 56, which intcrmeshes with the smoel@ et chain 20 for driving the main feed, and any suitable means 58 for operative connection with the main drive of the machine.

The wire may be cut into any desired lengths within reasonable limits by simnly increasing or decreasing the length of each of the feeding chains and by adjusting the distances between their sprocket wheels accordingly, and between the main feeding unit and the auxiliary feeding unit, the last-mentioned distance being slightly less than each stay wire length.

O pemtoa Briefly stated the operation of the machine referred to in the foregoing description is as follows:

With the cutters at the end of their hori- Zontal travel from left to right and the end of the stay wire inserted between the chains at the left, the parts are set in motion. The chains at once pull the wire along between them and fed it into position between the auxiliary feed rolls` which have 50% greater feedino' speed than the chains. Immediately after the wire is gripped by the feed rolls, it is severed by the cutters and the severed length is rapidly propelled to position extending across the strand wires, the slower speed of the main feed providing the necessary interval required to lock the preceding stay wire upon the strand wires before the succeeding length is delivered.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the feeding operation may be carried on at a very high speed and that the wire is measured and cut into uniform lengths with great precision, the cutting operation being in no way affected by the high speed of the feed..

What I claim is as follows:

. l. In a machine of the class described, the combination of wire feeding means, consisting of a superposed pair of endless chains,

the adjacent plies of which are adapted to frictionally grip the wire between them, means for driving said chains in unison, and wire cutting means forming a component part of said chains, said cutting means being constructed and arranged to be actuated at the point of exitof the wire from the chains.

2. In a machine of the class described, the combination of wire feeding means, consisting of a pair of endless chains, the adjacent plies of which are adapted to frictionally grip the wire between them, adjustable means for yicldingly pressing said plies upon Vthe wire, means for driving said chains in unison, and kwire cutting means forming a component part of the chains and arranged to operate to cut the wire as it issues from bctween the chains.

3. In a machine of the class described, wire feeding means consisting of a pair of endless chains, the adjacent plies of which engage the wire, means to drive said chains in unison, wire cutting means carried by the chains, and. auxiliary feeding means engaging theend of each length of wire immediately before it is cut, said rolls being actuated at a higher speed than said chains.

4. In a machine of the class described, combined wire feeding and cutting means, consisting of a pair of endless chains adapted to grip the wire between them, sprocket wheels for said chains, and cutters carried by the chains and adapted to be directly actuated by the teeth of said sprocket wheels.

5. In ay machine of the class described, wire feeding means consisting of a pair of endless chains adapted to coact to frictionally grip and feed a wire, the links of said chains having wire-receiving grooves, pins flexibly connecting the links, rollers on said pins, and means for exerting pressure upon the wire-gripping portions of the chains, comprising a fixed member adapted to engage the rollers of one of the chains, a movable member adapted to engage the rollers of the other chain, and springs to press said movable member towards said adjacent rollers.

6. In a machine of the class described, a chain for feeding a length of wire, a flying cutter carried by one of the links of said chain and adapted to cut the wire during its feeding movement, said cutter being slidable within its carrying link in a direction transverse to the wire, and a sprocket wheel intermeshing with the chain and adapted to actuate said cutter.

7. In a machine of the class described, combined wire feeding and cutting means, consisting of a pair of endless chains engaging the wire between them, flying cutters carried by said chains, means for driving said chains in unison and for actuating said cutters.

8. In a machine of the class described,

.'eoinbined means for continuously feeding a wire at-a constant speed and for cutting Vthe wire into uniform lengths while 1t 1s being so fed, said means eonsistingof a pair of 'endless chains engaging the wire between them andeutters carried by said chains, Y Vauxiliary feeding meansr adapted to engage each length of wire before it is out off and to convey it away, after it has been 'out o, at a higher. speed than said chains thev latter being constructed Vand arranged to release /eaoh cut length of wire simultaneously with the entting'off of said length.

i 0. ln a machine ofthe elassdeseribed, wire feeding means consisting of a pair of coacting parallel members traveling longitudinally-in unison with each other and adapted to grip the wire between them, means for yi'eldingly pressing said members together,l

said means consisting of a fixed presser plate bearing against the outer side of one of said members, la movable presser plate bearing against the outer side of the'ot-her of said vmembers,V opposed eXeentrics carrying said movable plate, and resilient means operatively eonneetedto said excentries to causethe movable plate to exert pressure upon its wire'feeding member. V

l0. Mechanism for delivering eut lengths of wire successively to a wire-working machine, comprising a pair of endless chains adapted to grip a wire between them, sprock- :et wheels supporting and driving said chains, a cutter carried by one link of each chain,

' A said cutters being constructed and arranged to be actuated by the teeth of certain of said sprocket wheels, means to drive said ywheels and Chains at a constant speed, Vauxiliary feeding means located between the endl of said chains and the' machine to be supplied, said auxiliary being driven at a higher speed than said chains and beingadapted to engage the end of they wire just `before it is out, and means to yieldingly press together the p0rtions of the chains whieh'grip the wire.

Signed at the'eity of Montreal, Province VofQuebee, this 22nd day of Getober, 1926.

l ARTHUR E. BLASHILL. 

